Jou et al. demonstrated that IL-25-activated group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2) created an immune suppressive microenvironment and promoted mApc-driven intestinal tumorigenesis. Higher levels of IL-25 were associated with poor prognosis in human intestinal tumors, and genetic ablation of IL-25 reduced intratumoral ILC2s and MDSCs, decreased tumor growth, and improved survival of Apc1322T/+ spontaneous mouse model of CRC. ILC2-produced IL-4 and IL-13 promoted MDSC-mediated immune suppression. Therapeutic blockade of the IL-25–ILC2 axis reduced intratumoral ILC2s and MDSCs, enhanced antitumor immunity, and decreased tumor burden.

Contributed by Shishir Pant

ABSTRACT: Interleukin-25 (IL-25) and group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) defend the host against intestinal helminth infection and are associated with inappropriate allergic reactions. IL-33-activated ILC2s were previously found to augment protective tissue-specific pancreatic cancer immunity. Here, we showed that intestinal IL-25-activated ILC2s created an innate cancer-permissive microenvironment. Colorectal cancer (CRC) patients with higher tumor IL25 expression had reduced survival and increased IL-25R-expressing tumor-resident ILC2s and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) associated with impaired antitumor responses. Ablation of IL-25 signaling reduced tumors, virtually doubling life expectancy in an Apc mutation-driven model of spontaneous intestinal tumorigenesis. Mechanistically, IL-25 promoted intratumoral ILC2s, which sustained tumor-infiltrating MDSCs to suppress antitumor immunity. Therapeutic antibody-mediated blockade of IL-25 signaling decreased intratumoral ILC2s, MDSCs, and adenoma/adenocarcinoma while increasing antitumor adaptive T cell and interferon-γ (IFN-γ)-mediated immunity. Thus, the roles of innate epithelium-derived cytokines IL-25 and IL-33 as well as ILC2s in cancer cannot be generalized. The protumoral nature of the IL-25-ILC2 axis in CRC highlights this pathway as a potential therapeutic target against CRC.

Author Info: (1) MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK. (2) MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK. (3) MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge C

Author Info: (1) MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK. (2) MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK. (3) MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK. (4) MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK. (5) MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK. (6) LifeArc, SBC Innovation Campus, Stevenage SG1 2FX, UK. (7) MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK. (8) MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK. (9) MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK. (10) Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, Cambridge CB2 0AW, UK. (11) LifeArc, SBC Innovation Campus, Stevenage SG1 2FX, UK. (12) Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, Cambridge CB2 0AW, UK. (13) MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK.